Proper stabilization and reduction of a fracture using an external fixation system requires proper alignment of the bone fragments. Such alignment requires a fixation component that securely joins the pins and wires to the bars, but that is readily adjustable. Conventional fixation components require a surgeon to clamp or lock the pins or wires to the bars, and if any adjustment is required during subsequent pin and bar placement, the surgeon must loosen the fixation component adjust it, and retighten the fixation component. This becomes tedious when complex fixation systems are required because surgeons spend inordinate amounts of time loosening, adjusting, and retightening fixation components. Further, such connections typically require two hands.
Some fixation components achieve mobility for ease of placement using joints connecting two clamps. Most systems only provide a revolute joint, the axis of which is perpendicular to both the pin and bar axes. Some systems replace the revolute joint with a ball joint allowing for roll pitch and yaw within some limited cone angle. This ball joint does come at an expense though, namely an increase in the pin to bar centerline distance which increases the working envelope and increases the moment arm subjecting the clamp device to increased moment loading necessitating a larger device.
The present invention overcomes one or more disadvantages of the prior art.